Just weeks after Jaromir Jagr returned to the North America with the Philadelphia Flyers, another former NHL star could be on his way back from the KHL.
According to various reports, centre Alexei Yashin is mulling over a return to the National Hockey League with an offer from the New York Islanders.
Agent Mark Gandler and Islanders general manager Garth Snow both confirmed to Newsday on Friday that the two sides have had discussions about Yashin returning with the team.
"I've had discussions with both Mark and Alexei," Snow told Newsday on Friday. "I'd rather keep those conversations private, but Alexei has been skating at our practice rink in Syosset and he looks great. I've been on record saying I'd explore all options and any player that would improve our team and help us make that step."
Gandler also confirmed to Sovietsky Sport on Friday that the Islanders were the lone NHL team interested in bringing him back.
"At this time we are negotiating with the Islanders and are seriously considering their offer," he told the Russian news site.
Yashin has spent the past four seasons playing in the Kontinental Hockey League with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv and St. Petersburg SKA. SKA general manager Alexei Kasatonov said earlier this month that Yashin's contract would not be renewed. The 37-year-old scored 15 goals in 52 games with SKA this past season and added another goal and four assists in four postseason games.
In June of 2007, the Islanders bought out the final four years of Yashin's 10-year, $87.5 million contract signed in 2001. The remainder of the deal is a $2.2 million cap hit for the Islanders which goes through the 2014-15 NHL season.
Yashin scored 119 goals and 171 assists in 346 games with the Islanders. He came to the club in a trade with Ottawa after the 2000-01 season - one that he sat out because of a team suspension when he didn't report because of a contract dispute.
Yashin's best season with the Islanders was his first in 2001-02 when he scored 32 goals and had 43 assists in 78 games.
The Islanders reached the playoffs four times during Yashin's tenure but never got out of the first round. He had 11 goals and 27 points in 48 postseason games on Long Island.
